The New Adventures of Stellaluna
by EndlessWire94
Summary: Stellaluna, the spunky little fruit bat from Janell Cannon's famous children's book and its movie adaptation, is back, in a brand new spinoff series!
1. New characters and story basics

For all those who love _Stellaluna _too, I hope you're excited for this new fanmade series! Before I get underway with it, I'd like to introduce some new characters who will show up alongside Stellaluna in her new stories. Most were created by yours truly; but a character from another of Janell Cannon's books will also be appearing! Also, for those of you familiar with the _Silverwing_ books and television show, keep in mind that many of these characters harbor references to them. Here they are:

**Solomon: **The chief elder of Stellaluna's colony, he is as wise as his very namesake, the Biblical King Solomon. His fur has turned white and grey in his old age, he has developed cataracts, and can usually be seen carrying a walking stick when not in flight. Ideal voice: James Earl Jones.

**Jupiter: **Another elder, and second-in-command to Solomon. He, however, usually disagrees with everything Solomon says or does, and often sparks loud, heated debates against him or anyone else who sees things differently from how he sees them. Ideal voice: Richard Newman.

**Isis: **The third elder on the council, and Stellaluna's loving grandmother. Named for an Egyptian goddess of healing, she specializes in treating injuries or other physical discomfort with herbal remedies. Ideal voice: Shirley Millner.

**Ezekiel: **The final elder, he is the most spiritual, meditative bat in the colony. The younger bats find him a bit odd, but more often than not, he offers them valuable advice, spiritual or otherwise. Ideal voice: Lee Tockar.

**Rafiki (aka Rafi): **The most athletic of Stellaluna's fellow bat friends, as the vine he wears as a sweatband easily gives away. As his name suggests, he is very loyal and friendly, but can sometimes let his ambitions get the better of him. Ideal voice: Kathleen Barr.

**Jasmine: **The youngest pup in the colony, who always wears a jasmine flower tucked behind her right ear, hence her name. Shy and sensitive, she often tries to prove that she can do everything her older friends can do, but usually fails and gets laughed at for it (which usually sends her running off crying); but when a chance comes to prove herself, she always shines through. Ideal voice: Chantal Strand.

**Francesca: **A glamorous young bat slightly older than Stellaluna and Rafi, with long blonde hair. Spoiled, prissy, and a little too proud for her own good, she can often come off as shallow or mean-spirited, as she often mocks Jasmine for being too little. She does, however, have a kinder, caring side, even though she doesn't often let it out. Ideal voice: Melissa Altro.

**Bolt: **The eldest pup in the colony (a teenager compared to Stellaluna and her friends), with wild, mohawk-style hair. He has a fierce rivalry with Rafi, and is notorious for being rude, reckless, conceited, and overly ambitious; but like all antagonists, he usually gets his comeuppance when he goes too far. In spite of all Bolt's repugnant character traits, Francesca harbors a strong crush on him, and usually swoons whenever he comes her way. Ideal voice: Matt Hill.

**Vitani: **A sassy female spider who has captured the heart of Stellaluna's close friend and bodyguard, Askari. He often tries to woo her, but doesn't usually get much of a response. If Vitani gives him any response at all, it's usually the cold shoulder, or an insult to injury should Askari make a fool of himself; but she _does_ slowly grow to like him. Ideal voice: Mila Kunis.

And last but not least...

**Pinduli: **A young striped hyena, from another Janell Cannon story. That's right, folks: we're having a bit of a crossover here! Pinduli lives in the savannah beyond the jungle, but made friends with Stellaluna one evening, when the colony was flying close to the jungle's outskirts - nowadays she occasionally hangs out with Stellaluna and her friends, or joins them on an adventure. She is feisty, precocious, and somewhat self-conscious, and is quick to use her larger size to help her smaller friends, should they be overwhelmed by something they can't handle alone. Ideal voice: Madeleine Peters.

* * *

As for the stories themselves, they will be similar to the episodes in children's shows such as _Theodore Tugboat, __Arthur_, and _Dragon Tales_, and will deal with topics such as bullying, peer pressure, and friendly competition. So be on the lookout, and enjoy!


	2. Big Girl, Big Problem!

**Big Girl, Big Problem!**

* * *

**Off we go at last! To kick off the series, I thought I'd touch upon the common theme of bullying. Keep an eye out for a reference to the _My Little Pony _****episode** **"One Bad Apple", and the _Fraggle Rock _episode "Playing Till it Hurts". And if anyone grew up reading the ****_Little Critter _or _Berenstain Bears _****book series**,** be sure to look for a reference to their respective volumes dealing with bullying too!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Nothing too out of the ordinary had happened since Stellaluna had been reunited with her colony. The little fruit bat quickly adjusted to the lifestyle she was meant to live, learned about the colony's structure and guidance by four bat elders, and even made a few new friends among the other pups. But for all the quality time spent with her bat family, she never forgot her foster "bird family", who had taken her in when an owl attack tore her and her mother apart - Stellaluna committed herself to visiting them whenever she had the chance. She also made sure to keep in touch with Askari, her spider "bodyguard", as well as two young-adult birds who had helped her build up her self-worth: the flamboyant hornbill, Horatio, and the sassy parrot, Kasuku.

All in all, young Stellaluna's life was, once again, a very happy one. But like all lives, hers still wasn't perfect, as one particular challenge proved...

* * *

It all started on Stellaluna's first birthday. She and her two best friends, Rafiki (he preferred Rafi for short) and Jasmine, were celebrating the occasion with a game of tag. They zipped around outside the colony's cave, laughing and shouting delightedly, until they heard Stellaluna's mother, Estrella, calling for her. Rafi grinned playfully. "Uh-oh!" he teased. "Sounds like Mama's girl is in trouble!"

"You wish!" giggled Stellaluna, turning to fly away. "You two keep playing - I'll see you later."

Estrella was waiting for her daughter at their usual roost. "Come now, Stellaluna," she said. "The council of elders have requested to see us both."

Stellaluna felt shocked by this, and a bit nervous. The elders didn't often summon children to their secluded dwelling, at the very back of the cave - maybe she _was _in trouble! "I haven't done anything wrong; have I?" she asked cautiously.

"Of course not, sweetie," Estrella chuckled reassuringly. "It's all part of a special plan they have for you."

Stellaluna's ears perked up in curiosity. "_What _special plan, Mama?"

"You'll see soon enough." With these words, Estrella swooped down from the roost and headed for the inner depths of the cave, with Stellaluna following along behind.

* * *

The elders' plan was indeed a special one: Solomon, the chief elder, explained to Stellaluna that whenever a bat turned a year old, he or she had the chance to help lead the colony's evening flight, as a right of passage. "This tradition has been passed down through generation after generation in our colony," said Solomon proudly, "and now, Stellaluna, the time has come to pass it to you."

Stellaluna smirked to herself. So this was why Francesca, another friend of hers, had gotten to lead the colony's flight a few months before: the snooty young bat had bragged about it for practically weeks afterwards. "But where should _I_ even _lead _the colony?" she asked uncertainly.

Isis, an elder who just so happened to be Stellaluna's grandmother, smiled down at her. "The choice is yours to make, dear. Try to think of a certain place in the jungle you really love."

Stellaluna felt a bit better: her grandmother's soothing words always seemed to make things just a little easier. She pondered for a moment...and then a big smile spread across her muzzle. "Well," she said slowly, "that patch of mangoes growing by the waterhole _was_ pretty good at this time last year..."

And so it was arranged. When the moon rose and the stars started to shine, Stellaluna, with Estrella and Isis by her side, led the colony straight to their favorite mango grove, where everyone happily ate their fill. Estrella smiled fondly at her daughter. "You've certainly made the right choice. This kind of independence is bound to help you later in life, let alone growing up."

"Your mother's right, Stellaluna," agreed Isis. "It only goes to show you're getting to be a big girl."

Stellaluna beamed proudly.

* * *

A month passed, and things continued much as they usually did. Rafi eventually had his own birthday and, like Stellaluna, got to lead the colony himself.

Then, one evening at dusk, the two of them, joined by Francesca, were setting out to explore the lower jungle, before the colony's usual longer flight. Francesca was making a fuss over all the "pestilence" living in the understory. "Just remember," she warned, "if any of this so-called 'fun' leaves my beautiful hair in a mess, you immature _children_ owe me **big time!**"

"Oh, lighten up; will ya?!" groaned Rafi. "_You're_ no more a kid than either of us!"

Defeated, Francesca turned up her nose and sniffed indignantly, before changing the subject in a bid to vent her anger. "Will Jasmine hurry up already?! Honestly, that little wimp is more trouble than she's worth!"

"I'll go see if she's okay," offered Stellaluna. She walked back into the cave, calling out her younger friend's name. She hadn't gotten far before she heard a small whimpering noise from behind a large stone. She peeked behind it to find Jasmine sitting alone and crying, with her head in her arms. Upon a closer look, Stellaluna could see that the tiny bat's wings were covered in scratches and bruises, and that the bright jasmine flower she wore on her ear was now in tatters.

"Jasmine?" Stellaluna ventured cautiously. Jasmine looked up, noticed her older friend standing over her, and rushed up to Stellaluna, clinging tightly to her and crying harder than ever. Knowing her mother would do the same were _she_ in the young pup's place, Stellaluna gently returned the hug. "Easy, Jasmine, easy," she soothed. "What happened?"

"I-I was just p-practicing that f-flying trick R-Rafi t-taught me y-yesterday," Jasmine sobbed, "w-when I-I r-ran into B-Bolt!"

Stellaluna's heart sank. Bolt was the eldest juvenile in the colony - a strong, muscular flier, who liked to throw his weight around and bully younger kids whenever he saw fit. But beating someone up was a new low, even for him. "_He _did this to you?!"

"Y-yes," faltered Jasmine. "He s-said I threw off h-his m-moves. I t-told him I-I d-didn't m-mean t-to, b-but he w-wouldn't l-listen, a-and..." She couldn't continue, and she clung to Stellaluna even tighter than before.

_**"Stellaluna!"**_ It was Francesca, yelling to her from the cave entrance. "If you're all done _babysitting _there, then get the lead out!"

But Stellaluna knew she couldn't just ignore this problem. After all, Jasmine was one of her best friends. "The exploring can wait, Francesca," she replied shortly. "Right now, I need to get Jasmine to Grandma Isis: she'll know what to do!"

Herbal remedies being her speciality, Isis had no trouble in tending to Jasmine's wounds. While she did so, Stellaluna went to inform the small bat's parents, Ash and Myrtle, about the incident; she soon returned to her grandmother's clinic with both of them. "That Bolt needs to learn to act his age," Ash said grimly. "It's high time I had a talk with Titan - tell him to knock some sense into his boy!"

"Now, now, Ash," Isis interjected sternly. "You were young once too, remember - Bolt will see sense one day."

Myrtle hugged her little daughter. "One thing's for sure," she said gratefully. "We have _you_ to thank, Stellaluna, for getting Jasmine the help she needed."

Stellaluna blushed modestly. "I guess it's all part of being a big girl. Right, Grandma?"

"Right you are, love!" Isis chuckled.

* * *

But just when it seemed everything was alright again, it turned out that the trouble was just beginning. At daybreak, as the colony headed for home through a dense area of bamboo trees, Stellaluna felt something big and muscular jab into her, knocking her off course. She blundered up against several trees before falling to the ground on her side - pain seared through her shoulder, and she bit her lip to stop herself crying out.

Then she heard a rude, jeering laugh from above, and looked up to see Bolt descending toward her with a look of smug satisfaction on his face. Sensing trouble, Stellaluna hastily tried to fly away, but the ache in her dislocated shoulder forced her back to earth. Just when she thought it couldn't hurt anymore, Bolt slammed his thumb down onto her shoulder and whipped her around to face him. "Oh, you're not going anywhere," the big bat smirked.

Blinking back tears of pain, Stellaluna noticed the rest of the colony flying farther and farther away from the bamboo forest. "Um, Bolt," she said nervously, "we really should catch up with the others..."

"_Not_ until I settle our score," Bolt interrupted in a dangerous tone.

_"Score?"_ repeated Stellaluna.

"Oh, you know: _you_ getting me grounded!"

"Look, Bolt, if it's for what you did to poor Jasmine, then..."

"Oh, of course!" said Bolt, putting on an air of mock sympathy. "Poor, poor Jasmine! Just couldn't help snitching for that pathetic little runt; could you?"

"I wasn't snitching!" cried Stellaluna defiantly. "I was trying to be a good friend! Besides," she added proudly, "stuff like that is all part of being a big girl!"

"Big girl?! Don't make me laugh!" snorted Bolt. "Big kids don't go crying to grown-ups; and because you just _had_ to, _I_ can't leave the cave for two whole weeks, except for when we go out for food! Not only that, my dad's made this stupid new rule against doing awesome stunts indoors!" He pulled the smaller bat close. "You better just hope you don't see me anytime soon, or there'll be trouble." With these last threatening words, Bolt tossed Stellaluna to the ground and took off. "So long,..._snitch_!" he jeered.

Stellaluna whimpered as she got to her feet: her shoulder was throbbing even harder than before. Trying her best not to strain it any further, she slowly and gingerly made the remaining journey back to the cave. Estrella saw her approaching their roost, and heaved a sigh of relief. "_There_ you are, Stellaluna. I've been waiting up for you..." She broke off, noticing her daughter cringe as she tried to settle down to sleep. "What happened to your wing?" she asked anxiously.

"I...uh...just had a little accident coming home," Stellaluna replied hastily. "No big deal."

"Are you sure?" Estrella persisted. "We can always go to Grandma Isis..."

Stellaluna turned away in frustration. "Mama, it's _fine_! It'll probably be better by nightfall! Besides," she went on firmly, "I'm a big girl now - I can handle things like this."

Estrella was silent for a moment. "Don't you at least want a hug?" she ventured hopefully.

"No, thanks." But deep down, it was what Stellaluna wanted more than ever. She wasn't so sure she liked growing up now.

* * *

It was mid-afternoon when Stellaluna awoke. Her shoulder only twinged just a little now, and there was still plenty of time before nightfall - she decided to go outside and flex it, to see if she could still fly with it. So, carefully trying not to wake her mother, she flitted down to the cave floor, then quietly began to tiptoe toward the door. A sudden whoosh from above made her heart skip a beat: sure enough, Bolt was looming over her, like a wildcat stalking its prey. The burly pup smirked, drew his thumb across his throat, then crossed his eyes and made a fake gagging noise.

Stellaluna shuddered and ran out of the cave as fast as she could. Unfortunately, she didn't notice the big tree root in her path: she tripped over it and sprawled to the ground on her side, letting out a loud yelp as her shoulder started throbbing all over again. Then, to make matters worse, she found that her foot now ached when she tried to walk - how would she ever be able to keep up with the colony? Stellaluna gave a long, miserable sigh, and sat down against the tree trunk.

As she alternated between rubbing her shoulder and rubbing her foot, she was interrupted by a familiar yell. A small bundle of eight legs, wearing a leafy cape, came swinging along on a strand of his own thread - only to fly smack into the tree and tumble dizzily to the ground. Stellaluna couldn't help but laugh in spite of her discomfort. "Hello, Askari!"

"Stellaluna!" the spider exclaimed, springing to his feet as if nothing had happened. "And just how is my fine furry friend doing today?"

The little bat let out another sad sigh. "I've been better," she admitted, grimacing as she strained her shoulder, _again_.

"Why? What's the matter?" Askari asked, concerned.

"Well, there's this big bat in my colony, and he's started bullying me, just because I stood up for my friend after he gave _her_ a rough time." Stellaluna massaged her sprained foot. "I just don't know how long I'll have to live with it."

Askari struck a heroic pose. "Say no more, Stella my dear: Askari the Invincible's got it all under control! Just lead me to this big bully of a bat, and I'll..."

_"NO!"_ Stellaluna interrupted. Askari looked taken aback. "Sorry, Askari; but I'm a big girl - not a little snitch! I can't go to grown-ups for help, not when _I'm_ growing up too!"

"Oh, puh-lease!" scoffed Askari. "I'm practically a kid myself: why d'ya think I swing around, yellin' like some mad-bug all the livelong day? And besides," he went on, "you may be growing up, but you're not _a _grown-up just yet!"

"I still think it'd be better if you let me handle this myself," insisted Stellaluna.

Askari smiled comfortingly at her. "It's alright, Stellaluna: you don't have to carry the world on your shoulders. Heck, not even adults have to! We _all_ need a _little _help every now and then. Now come on: let your ol' bodyguard lend ya a leg!"

Stellaluna was silent for a moment, pondering over this. Finally, she shook her head. "Thanks, but no thanks, Askari," she said unhappily. "I don't wanna give Bolt the satisfaction." Being careful not to put too much pressure on her foot, the little bat headed back to the cave, leaving her friend shaking his head sadly.

* * *

Stellaluna only just managed to keep pace with the rest of the colony that evening. Not only did her shoulder still hurt, she could hardly grasp tree branches with her bad foot - Estrella had to stop her from falling, twice. "If you're not feeling better by tomorrow, we're going to Grandma's clinic," she said sternly.

"But Mama..."

"No buts, young lady. I'm not letting you knock yourself to bits like this!"

Stellaluna sighed in defeat as the colony moved on. At a small grove of orange trees, she met up with Rafi, Jasmine, and Francesca, and told them about her predicament with Bolt. "I'm glad he wasn't around when my mama caught me," she said embarrassedly. "He would never have let me hear the end of it!"

"You and the whole colony!" Rafi remarked. "Bolt couldn't stop gossiping to save his own life!"

Francesca sighed dreamily. "Ooh, he's such a rebel! I like that in a bat!" Stellaluna and Rafi just rolled their eyes: they could never understand why Francesca admired Bolt. Jasmine saw it best to change the subject. "So, what will you do about it, Stellaluna?" she asked shyly.

"I have no idea," Stellaluna replied. "I can't put up with Bolt forever; but if I can't tell a grown-up about him, what else can I do?"

Rafi's eyes suddenly twinkled: obviously, he had thought of a good idea (to him, anyway). "You take a stand and fight him back: _that's _what!"

"_Fight_ him?!" repeated Stellaluna. "I don't know the first thing about fighting!"

"No problem: here's your coach!" said Rafi confidently, pointing to himself. "Come on! It'd work a lot better than just trying to work things out with him: you saw what happened to Jasmine."

"Yeah," Jasmine mumbled, rubbing her arm uneasily.

"Besides," Rafi went on fiercely, "you're not the only one Bolt's crossed: he still owes me for cheating in the colony's annual race last month."

"I dunno, Rafi."

"C'mon, Stellaluna, think about it: you need to get Bolt out of your fur, and you're a big kid now! It's time that big blowhard was taught a lesson - especially by a _girl _half his size!"

_"Ahem!"_ said Francesca indignantly.

Stellaluna looked thoughtful for a moment: then she looked up at her athletic friend with a determined grin on her face. "You're right, Rafi!" she said. "It'd be worth it to see the look on Bolt's face if I actually won!"

"Only one way to make _that_ happen!" chuckled Rafi. "Let's get training!"

Rafi led Stellaluna to the waterhole, where he found her a vine to wear around her head as a sweatband, just like his. Then, blowing into a hollowed-out twig like a whistle, he coached her through a series of pushups and sit-ups. It was hard going at first, considering Stellaluna's sore shoulder and foot; but Rafi was _not_ a bat to back down easily. "Buck up, Stella; this is for your own good!" he shouted. As Rafi goaded her, Stellaluna gradually put her heart more and more into the routine, and even forgot her pain.

Rafi then had her practice dodging two large, flat rocks, which he held before her and moved about like boxing gloves: this way she'd know how to dodge Bolt's blows should things get nasty. Stellaluna nervously faltered a bit when they got started, and more often than not received a bop in the face. "Aw, c'mon!" Rafi groaned. "How're ya gonna beat Bolt like _that_?!" Her mind set back on her goal, Stellaluna soon got the hang of dodging the rocks: eventually, she turned to blocking them with her wings. "Now you're talkin'!" Rafi yelled.

Finally, Stellaluna was faced with a wing-made bamboo punching dummy. Rafi blew his whistle louder and louder, egging her on as she swung her wings out at it. Finally, one of her blows was strong enough to split the already-weakened dummy in half. Stellaluna stood back, panting triumphantly, as its remains fell to the ground in front of her. "Perfect!" congratulated Rafi. "We'll do a little more of this at dusk tomorrow, and then you'll show Bolt who's boss! I'll be rootin' for ya!"

* * *

The following afternoon, Rafi spoke to Bolt in person, and told him about his idea. "Stellaluna's had enough of your guano, Bolt!" he said. "And tonight, she's gonna knock you down to size!"

"Ooh, I'm practically shaking!" Bolt scoffed. "Alright, Raf: I'll go along with your little charade. But if Smell-o'-Tuna thinks she can take _me_ down, she's got another thing comin'!"

That night, as the rest of the colony flew, Stellaluna followed Rafi to a secluded part of the forest, where he and Bolt had arranged for the brawl to take place. "Alright," Rafi said. "A quick warm-up and then it's showtime; eh Stellaluna?" His only response was a small groan of pain - he pulled a face of deep dread. "Don't tell me..."

"Yeah," gasped Stellaluna. "My shoulder's hurting again!"

"Well, uh, maybe it's just an aftereffect from last night!" said Rafi frantically. "Try doing a few push-ups!"

Stellaluna sighed and reluctantly got down on all fours. But as soon she tried to push herself up again, she gave a shrill cry and collapsed to the ground in a heap. "I can't do this, Rafi!" she whimpered, clutching her aching shoulder. "If I go up against Bolt now, I'm banana pulp!"

"Got that right, you whiny little twerp!" a familiar voice boomed. Sure enough, it was Bolt, joined by some of the other older, more muscular pups. "Well, well, well; caught between a rock and hard place, are we?" he leered. "You try to fight me, I'll pummel you into the earth; but go crying to Mommy now, and you'll be nothing but a snitch! And a pretty cowardly snitch too!" Bolt burst into terrible, cruel laughter, while his cronies just snickered stupidly.

Sniffling with embarrassment, Stellaluna painfully got to her feet and turn to walk away. Rafi boldly swooped over and blocked her way. "What are you doing?! Get out there and knock him down to size!"

"Don't you see? I _can't_," moaned Stellaluna. "Not like _this_! Maybe Askari was right: maybe I _should've_ gotten a grown-up involved..."

"No," said Rafi firmly. "We set out with a goal in mind, and now _you've_ got to achieve that goal, no matter what it takes! Sometimes when it hurts real bad, you just gotta play real good! No pain, no gain!"

Stellaluna could see that her ambitious friend wasn't going to let her off easy, but she knew he had a point. Besides, _someone_ had to stand up to Bolt; and she was a big girl - she might as well try her best, despite her pain. She limped forward and gave the burly bat the best glare she could. "I've had enough of your bullying, Bolt! Let's finish this like big kids!"

"Pleasure's all mine!" sneered Bolt. He flapped his muscular wings and shot into the sky. Stellaluna gulped and, trying her best to keep her balance, flew up after him. "On my whistle!" called Rafi, holding up his hollowed-out twig. "Three...two...one..."

**BLAM!**

_"AGH!"_

Bolt had jumped the signal, and taken a swipe right at Stellaluna's bad shoulder. Then, while the younger bat was distracted by her pain, he took the opportunity to punch her in the gut. Winded, Stellaluna gasped and coughed desperately. _"That...wasn't...fair!"_ she sputtered.

"Hey, it's a fight; ain't it?" Bolt smirked.

Stellaluna flailed this way and that on her one good wing, trying her best to block and out-maneuver the larger pup. But Bolt always seemed to be just a wingbeat ahead of her, no matter what she did.

Down below on the ground, Jasmine and Francesca had joined Rafi to watch as well. "Are you sure this is a good idea, Rafi?" asked Jasmine anxiously.

"Better this way than getting an adult," Rafi replied stolidly. "Bolt would never've let us hear the last of it!"

"But he could really hurt her! There's gotta be some way out of this!" Jasmine protested.

"Wouldn't count on it, peewee!" one of Bolt's friends yelled over.

Francesca watched as Stellaluna batted against Bolt's face with her wings, trying to confuse him. "Hey! Take it easy on my man; will ya?!" she hollered up.

"Somehow I don't think it's 'your man' you should be concerned about," Rafi retorted dryly.

Another sudden shriek made them look up again: Bolt had slapped Stellaluna right across the face, knocking her a few feet down. The little bat barely had time to rub her scratched cheek before Bolt shot down after her, and snatched her out of thin air.

Rafi watched helplessly, as Bolt went to Stellaluna like a starved wild dog to a wildebeest. Dragging her along by his feet, he hit her in the face and torso, slashed at her wings, and pounded again and again against her bad shoulder and foot. His stooges jeered in delight. "Go get 'em, Bolt!" "Show 'em who's the biggest, baddest bat around!"

In the midst of all the chaos, no one noticed Jasmine quietly slip away...

Stellaluna had reached the end of her tether: Bolt was ripping her apart something awful, her face and wings were scratched and bruised, her shoulder was throbbing harder than ever, and she could feel the tears starting to bubble up at the corners of her eyes. "Bolt, _stop_!" she begged. "I've had enough!"

"Oh, have you?!" Bolt smirked. "We'll just see about that!" He sunk his foot right onto Stellaluna's bad shoulder and gave it a hard twist. "Say 'uncle'!"

"U-uncle!" Stellaluna squeaked.

Bolt tightened his grip. "Sorry: musta had something in my ear!"

_"U-uncle!"_

"Must be goin' deaf!"

**_"UNC-!"_**

**"BOLT!" **The big pup froze: he knew that voice all too well. There, flying towards him, was his father, Titan, flanked on either side by Isis and Estrella. None of the three adults looked the least bit happy.

Jasmine peeped around from behind Isis. "See?" she piped. "I _told_ you Stellaluna needed help!"

Enraged, Bolt thrust Stellaluna aside and dove straight toward the tiny bat. **"You little **_**snitch**_**!"** he hissed. "I'll teach you to..."

**WHOOSH! **Titan spread his mighty wings in front of Jasmine, stopping his son in his tracks. "Back home _right__ now_, young man," he said sternly. "I need to teach _you_ what happens when you disobey me!" Bolt rolled his eyes, but grudgingly followed his father back toward the cave.

As the crowd on the ground dispersed, Estrella looked solemnly at her beaten daughter, hovering feebly in front of her. With the very last of her strength, Stellaluna beelined right to her mother, nuzzled under her protective wing, and began to cry. "She needs medical attention right away," said Isis firmly. "Follow me."

* * *

In the clinic, surrounded by her friends, her family - even Titan - Stellaluna told her whole story. "In that case, my son's so-called 'friends' aren't getting off easy either," Titan remarked grimly. "I'll talk to their parents at once."

"I really don't see what the big deal is!" pouted Francesca, obviously upset with Bolt getting in trouble.

**"**_**Hello?!**_ He nearly tore our friend to shreds!" burst out Rafi.

"Oh, Stellaluna," Estrella sighed, "why didn't you tell me Bolt was bullying you earlier?"

Stellaluna winced as Isis placed a leaf compress on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Mama," she said meekly. "I thought I had to handle things all by myself. Besides," she sniffled, "Bolt said big kids don't go snitching to grown-ups."

Isis turned to her granddaughter with a very kind look on her face. "Stellaluna," she said gently, "you may be growing up; but even the most grown-up, most independent bats need help sometimes. That's just one reason why I run this clinic!"

"But Grandma," protested Stellaluna, "I thought growing up _meant_ being independent!"

"It _does_, dear," Isis replied. _"And _making your own decisions. But deciding to ask for help doesn't necessarily mean you're weak. In fact, it often shows _great_ independence: it shows you know your own limits, and can make good decisions to help _others_ help _yourself_!"

"Like the way I got help for Jasmine?" asked Stellaluna.

"_And_ the way _she_ got help for _you_!" agreed Estrella. "I think _she_ might be growing up too!"

Jasmine giggled modestly. "I just didn't want Bolt to hurt _you_ even worse than he hurt _me_."

Rafi looked down sheepishly. "I guess I really messed up pushing you into that fight, huh?"

"It's okay, Rafi," said Stellaluna sadly. "_I _messed up by listening to Bolt in the first place. I guess I wasn't being such a big girl after all."

"Never mind, sweetheart," soothed Isis, rubbing some berry ointment on Stellaluna's scratched cheek. "Making mistakes is another big part of growing up, and _being _a grown-up for that matter!"

Stellaluna couldn't help but smile: her grandmother's simple yet gentle words always seemed to make things so much better.

* * *

Titan extended Bolt's grounding to another fortnight, and even forbade him to leave the cave at all. Needless to say, Bolt was not pleased; but at least his father brought him food back from the colony's forages. "Hey, maybe I should get punished more often!" he quipped to himself between bites.

Stellaluna couldn't fly for at least a week and a half, while her wounds healed. When at last she felt better, Rafi and Jasmine were waiting to greet her outside the cave. "Now that you're out and about again," said Rafi, "how's about a good old-fashioned game of tag?"

"Yeah!" Jasmine agreed eagerly. She tapped Stellaluna gently on the wing. "You're it! Betcha can't get me!" she giggled, and sped off into the sky.

"Just watch me!" laughed Stellaluna. As she started up after Jasmine, she couldn't stop thinking how lucky she was to have the smaller pup as a friend. When Bolt turned on Jasmine, it was Stellaluna who had stepped in; and now, thanks to Jasmine's compassionate actions, Stellaluna no longer had to put up with Bolt herself. Just by thinking independently, both girls had helped each other out of a big problem.

It only went to show that young bats _could _do very grown-up things - especially when it came to looking out for their friends.

* * *

**That's it - the first installment to _The New Adventures of Stellaluna_! What did you think?**


	3. Don't Judge a Bat by His Wings

**Don't Judge a Bat by His Wings**

* * *

**Hello everyone! Here's the series' next installment, with a reminder not to be deceived by first impressions. Keep an eye out for references to _The Railway Series_ and _VeggieTales_!**

* * *

Of all the bats in the colony, none were quite like Ezekiel, the fourth and youngest elder. Sporting a long gray ponytail and a misty, placid personality, he was notorious for his constant elusiveness. "How come we hardly ever see him?" the younger bats would ask.

"No one knows for sure," was always the reply. "He just goes away for a few hours and then comes back."

Whenever Ezekiel _was_ around, his mysterious aura never failed to follow him. "May Nocturna be our guide," he would say before the colony took flight each night; or, if the fruit was particularly good, "Thank Nocturna for her many blessings"; or, if ever he saw or knew of a younger bat's good deeds, "Ah, the spirit of Nocturna is strong in this child."

"Load of spiritual nonsense, that sort of talk," grumbled Jupiter, Solomon's bad-tempered right-thumb bat. "Something's not wired right in that bat's brain. How he ever came to be part of our sacred council, I'll never know!"

"Now, now, Jupiter," soothed Solomon. "Every bat is entitled to his or her own beliefs."

"And if his 'beliefs' start to poison the minds of our young?!" Jupiter countered. "What then, hmm?!"

Solomon groaned: Jupiter was always one to disagree and blow things out of proportion. "Why I chose _you_ as my second-in-command, _I'll _never know."

"Oh, so it's _my _head that's not on straight, eh?!" growled Jupiter. "Well, let me tell you..."

* * *

One early evening, Stellaluna, Rafi, Jasmine, and Francesca were all playing together by the waterhole. As they flitted happily about, Jasmine piped up, "I've just been thinking."

"Funny: I never really thought you _could _think," scoffed Francesca.

"I could say the same about _you_," retorted Rafi cheekily. Stellaluna and Jasmine giggled, while Francesca retired into an indignant huff.

Stellaluna turned to her small friend. "What _were_ you thinking about, Jasmine?"

"About Ezekiel!" chirped Jasmine.

"What about Ezekiel?" Stellaluna asked, puzzled.

"Well, _everything_, really!" Jasmine admitted after a moment's pause. "Why he has hair like that. Why he's always popping in and out of the colony. What he means when he talks about...what's it called?"

"'Nocturna', I think," Rafi replied. "That's a good question, Jazz: what _is_ 'Nocturna'?"

"And why does Ezekiel talk about it so much?" added Stellaluna.

"Don't ask me," Francesca said. "But one thing's for sure: he's odd, especially for an elder!"

The others didn't reply, but they had to admit that Francesca had a point about Ezekiel: he did seem rather strange. Jasmine, however, was still full of curiosity.

* * *

That morning, when the colony had returned to the cave, Jasmine decided to talk to her parents before she went to sleep. "Mom, Daddy, what does 'Nocturna' mean?"

Ash chuckled lovingly. "Don't you know? Nocturna is a legendary bat goddess."

"A _goddess_?" Jasmine repeated, awed.

"Yes, Jasmine," Myrtle replied. "Many believe it's Nocturna who brings out the night, gives us bats the wings and spirit to fly, and always makes sure we have plenty to eat."

Jasmine's eyes widened in amazement. "So _that's_ why Ezekiel seems to like her so much."

"Oh, yes," smirked Ash. "She's all he _ever_ talks about!"

"But what's so odd about _that_, Daddy?" asked Jasmine.

"I never _said_ it was odd, sweetie."

"But Francesca did!"

"Well, we can't speak for Francesca or Ezekiel," sighed Myrtle. "But we _do_ know that what may _look_ odd may just be, well, _different_."

_"Different," _Jasmine repeated to herself - that didn't sound so bad. Maybe there was more to Ezekiel than met the eye.

* * *

Jasmine woke up early in the early afternoon. As she squinted from the daylight flooding in through the cave mouth, she caught sight of a familiar ponytailed bat. "Ezekiel!" she whispered; and indeed it was. Ezekiel was gliding silently along, glancing furtively about himself as he headed for the exit.

Jasmine, her curiosity rising still, flitted after him as quietly as he could. She tried her best to maintain a safe distance, from where she could still see him but not vice versa. She followed Ezekiel out of the cave, through a secluded part of the woods, over vines, between trees, until at last the mysterious elder stopped at a beautiful forest waterfall.

Jasmine gaped in wonder: so _this_ was where Ezekiel disappeared to! She watched as he sat down on the ground, lowered his wings to his sides, and stayed perfectly still. What could he be doing?

As Jasmine looked on, wondering this to herself, she didn't notice the vapor rising from the falls start to curl mischievously around her muzzle. Too late, she realized her nose was starting to tickle. She gave a few short gasps - she covered her nose - the tickle vanished - she sighed with relief - then...**"ACHOO!" **The tiny bat sneezed a great sneeze! Its force was so great that Jasmine staggered back a few inches!

Of course, Ezekiel heard Jasmine's sneeze. He stood up, turned around, and saw the young pup. "Jasmine? What on Earth are you doing up at this hour? Nocturna knows this is no time for a pup your age to be out of bed." He sighed. "I'm afraid this means my meditation will have to be cut short. Come along - I'll escort you home."

"Meditation?" Jasmine repeated. So _that_ was what Ezekiel had been doing all this time! "What for?"

"I find it's a useful way to bring myself closer to Nocturna," Ezekiel replied. "To reassure myself of her existence." He chuckled at the young bat's puzzled expression. "I just mean it helps me feel more certain that she's real. Now back to the cave with you," he said, taking her by the wing and leading her into the sky.

"That sounds kinda cool," said Jasmine, awed. "I wish _I_ could get closer to Nocturna - could I come and do it with you sometime?"

Ezekiel looked uncertain. "Well," he said slowly, "meditation has always been a pastime I've done alone. Then again, I'm very pleased to hear of a bat your age becoming interested in the spiritual beyond. I'll talk to your parents and see how they feel about it."

Jasmine beamed from ear to ear. "Come on, Ezekiel!" she giggled, racing ahead. "Let's both go tell them right now!"

Ezekiel chuckled fondly. "Dear little child - makes me wish _I _was young again."

* * *

Sure enough, within the next few days, Jasmine, with her parents' permission, was meditating alongside Ezekiel. "It's funny," she said, gazing around their secluded spot, "but the more I look at this beautiful place, the closer I feel to Nocturna. Maybe she _is_ looking out for me!"

"She looks out for us all, little one," said Ezekiel sagely. "Of that I am quite certain."

Jasmine saw that the elderly bat looked rather solemn. "What's the matter, Ezekiel?"

Ezekiel sighed. "The legend of Nocturna doesn't hold as special a place in today's colony as it did generations back. Many bats these days, young and old, take her beauty for granted, and are careless in the way they view and treat it."

"That's sad," sympathized Jasmine. "_I_ appreciate her beauty - I really do!"

Ezekiel's frown perked up into a small smile. "I'm glad to here that, Jasmine - very glad indeed."

* * *

Jasmine's friends, however, didn't share her enthusiasm. "You're actually going along with that old loon?!" sniffed Francesca. "Honestly, Jasmine: I know you're a naive little thing, but this just takes the mango!"

"I hate to say it, but Francesca's right," chimed in Rafi. "Meditation isn't exactly the coolest thing for a young bat to practice. Flying tricks..." - he did a backflip in midair - "...cool! Meditation, _not_ cool!"

Jasmine felt insulted. "Well, maybe you're all just a bunch of scaredy bats!"

Francesca gave a ladylike little gasp (well, at least to her it was ladylike). "Scared?! _Moi?!_"

"Yeah! You're all scared of Ezekiel just because he's different!"

"Calm down now, Jasmine," Stellaluna cut in. "We just..."

"No!" Jasmine went on. "It's not fair to him! Why don't you just leave him alone?!" With that, she flew crossly away.

"Well!" Francesca huffed. "The nerve of some bats!"

* * *

Jasmine was still in a heated temper as she flew back into the cave. She was so upset that she didn't look where she was going, and bumped right into Ezekiel himself. "Steady there, Jasmine!" he chuckled. Then he noticed the anger flashing in her eyes. "Why, whatever's the matter?"

Jasmine gave a little sniffle: the anger was wearing off into hurt. "My friends are all scared of you, Ezekiel!" she faltered. "They think meditation is uncool - that _I'm_ uncool!"

"Well, you're not alone," said Ezekiel, gently taking her by the shoulder. "Jupiter just gave me an earful about 'poisoning your mind with spiritual nonsense'. He thinks I'm a bad influence to you through and through."

"That's not true!" cried Jasmine. "I really like meditating with you!"

"Well, that's all that matters, isn't it?" Ezekiel smiled. "And if your friends can't appreciate that, then it's their own problem. Don't worry though," he went on kindly. "I'm sure they'll come around."

Jasmine felt just a bit better.

* * *

A few afternoons later, Stellaluna, Rafi, Francesca, and Pinduli were all playing together when they saw Ezekiel and Jasmine go by. "Hey, Jazz!" Rafi called. "Over here!" But the small bat didn't seem to hear him, and went on her way.

"What's up with her?" Pinduli asked.

Stellaluna sighed sadly. "We kinda had a fight a few days ago, Pinduli," she admitted. "To be honest, I don't blame her for acting that way."

"Hey!" Francesca snapped. "It's not our fault she's into a bat who's so crazy, so weird, so..."

"Different," Stellaluna cut in. "My bird family wasn't all that nice to me when we first met, just because _I_ was different. And now here _we_ go and say rude things about things about Ezekiel, just because _he's_ different. I feel just rotten."

"Me too," sighed Rafi. "Maybe Jasmine had the right idea all along."

"Definitely!" agreed Pinduli. "I mean, if you bats could make friends with me, you could at least try to respect a member of your own colony!"

"Especially an elder," said Stellaluna. She looked thoughtful for a few seconds, and then took to the air. "C'mon, guys: we've gotta make this up to Jasmine. Follow me!"

"At least give us a choice, why don'tcha?" hissed Francesca.

"Oh, shut it!" Rafi snapped. "C'mon, Pinduli!"

"Right behind ya, Raf!"

* * *

The friends made their way into the denser part of the forest, and soon found the falls. There, in the warm spray of mist rising from the pool, were Ezekiel and Jasmine, standing side by side and taking slow, gentle breaths. Stellaluna stared, amazed. "_This_ is what they're doing?" she whispered. "Doesn't look too strange to me."

"Me either!" agreed Pinduli.

"Me either!" echoed Rafi.

All three turned toward Francesca with smug grins. Francesca rolled her eyes and muttered, "Me either."

"Come again, Fran?" asked Stellaluna cheekily.

"Me either!" repeated Francesca, only a little louder.

"Didn't quite catch that!" teased Rafi.

_"ME EITHER!" _yelled Francesca. No sooner had she blurted this out then she put her wing to her mouth. Sure enough, Jasmine and Ezekiel heard the noise and turned in its direction. "Guys?!" said Jasmine, startled. "What are you doing here?"

Ezekiel chuckled. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say they were eavesdropping on us, little one. Spying on us," he explained, seeing the confused look on the tiny pup's face.

"Aw, great: now he reads minds," grumbled Francesca; but a stern nudge in the side from Rafi quickly shut her up.

Stellaluna gazed ruefully down at her small friend. "We're really sorry we acted the way we did, Jazz," she said. "And Ezekiel, we're sorry we talked about you behind your back."

"Oh, don't worry," Ezekiel replied. "I've gotten used to it by now." He turned his gaze to Jasmine. "Jasmine, can you forgive your friends?"

Jasmine was silent for a moment. "Well," she said slowly, "okay. Just as long as you promise not to do it again!"

"I promise," said Stellaluna.

"Me too," chimed in Rafi.

Francesca shrugged. "Me too, I guess."

Without any hesitation, Jasmine ran over to Francesca and hugged her tightly around the middle. Stellaluna and Rafi looked on, amused. Francesca blushed, but grudgingly returned the embrace. "What? You don't think _I_ can be a softie too?!" This brought a laugh out of everyone, even Francesca.

"Ezekiel," Rafi ventured, "do you think it would be alright if _we_ gave this meditation stuff a try sometime?"

"Well," Ezekiel replied, "I think that can be arranged..."

* * *

Ezekiel confided to Solomon about the matter; and a few nights later, the chief elder announced to the colony that all who wanted to were welcome to join Ezekiel in meditating. As it happened, it turned out that Jasmine wasn't the only one interested: several other bats young and old had kept silent in fear of being mocked, but now felt comfortable letting this secret out. It wasn't long before Ezekiel had a whole class to teach!

Nowadays, Ezekiel is a friend to many bats throughout the colony, and retains a special place in his heart for Jasmine. Some still find him a bit unusual; but they are never too put off to judge him unfairly. They realize now that Ezekiel isn't odd, but just different - and there's nothing wrong with that at all!


	4. The Grudge

**The Grudge**

* * *

**Hi all! Been awhile, hasn't it? Here's the next installment to the series, with an important lesson on not letting upset with others get the better ****of you. Keep an eye out for references to ****_Larryboy: The Cartoon Series, Ratatouille, Ice Age, _and ****_Dragon Tales_****, and enjoy!**

* * *

Stellaluna's adoptive "bird family" didn't exactly take kindly to her at first. Nestra, for all the love she gave the little bat as a surrogate mother, insisted that she give up her natural habit of hanging upside down and learn to land on her feet. Pip and Flitter, although quicker than their stubborn sister Flap to accept Stellaluna, still laughed at her fumbling, which probably contributed her low self-esteem. But these paled in comparison to the way Flap acted: right from the get-go, she made rude remarks about what a "weird bird" Stellaluna was, and harshly pinned all the blame on her when the four children got lost in the jungle. Nevertheless, a group effort to save Nestra from the Great White Owl's clutches ultimately brought Stellaluna closer to her adoptive siblings, and to this day, they remain very close friends.

However, there was a time when it seemed as if their friendship would never be the same again...

* * *

It was a quiet morning in the jungle - the perfect sort of morning for a bat to sleep in peace, which is what the whole colony was doing. That is, they _were_, until the stillness of the cave was suddenly shattered by angry shouting. **"No! _I'm_ not the worst; _you _are! You're nothing but a bully! _Just leave me alone!_"**

What was once a tranquil setting quickly became a chaotic one, as bats all throughout the cave were startled awake and flapped about, squeaking in confusion. The elders quickly came to see what the matter was. Jupiter looked up at one roost still occupied, and scowled exasperatedly. "Someone shut that species-confused brat up this minute!" he barked.

"That 'species-confused brat' _happens_ to be my granddaughter!" Isis retorted coldly.

"No question there!" Jupiter snorted. "Your family has _always_ been a burden to this colony!"

"Peace, Jupiter!" said Solomon sternly. "Insulting each other won't solve this problem. Isis, please tend to your granddaughter, then report back to us."

"Yes, Solomon." Isis bowed in respect, then flew up to the roost. "How is she, Estrella?" she asked.

"Not right, Mother," Estrella replied, "as you plainly can see." Sure enough, Stellaluna was trembling from head to toe in anger. "This is the second nightmare she's had this week, and she still won't tell me what's wrong..."

"Flap! _That's_ what's wrong!" Stellaluna blurted out suddenly. This roused the rest of the colony even more. **"SILENCE!" **snapped Jupiter from below. "Do you want the whole jungle to hear you?!"

"One could easily ask you the same question, Jupiter," said Isis curtly. She then took Stellaluna in her wings. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's go for a walk - you can tell me all about it."

Stellaluna sighed. "Okay, Grandma."

* * *

A few minutes later, grandmother and granddaughter were walking side by side on the cave floor. Isis listened patiently while Stellaluna talked about Flap's less-than-friendly treatment of her. "...And then she blamed me for getting us lost!" she cried indignantly. "Even though she, Pip, and Flitter left the nest on purpose! And then, even when I tried to help, she kept putting me down! And the worst part," faltered Stellaluna, swallowing a lump in her throat, "is that I gave in to what Flap was saying! I _let_ her mean words bring me down!" Just talking about it made the little bat angry all over again.

"I see," Isis said slowly. "But she apologized for what she said in the end, didn't she?"

"Yes and no," replied Stellaluna with an exhausted sigh. "She apologized for calling me 'the worst bird in the world'; but she _didn't _apologize for blaming me."

"And have you ever thought about this until just recently?" Isis asked.

"Not really," Stellaluna admitted. "But I wish I _had_!" she cried, as cold fury pounded through her once again. "And it's about time I stood up to Flap once and for all!"

"Well," remarked Isis, "I hope you won't talk to her in a temper like that."

"Why not? She talked to _me_ in a temper!"

"That's as may be, dear; but two wrongs don't make a right. Besides," Isis went on, "you can't let your upset control you like this. Hold onto your anger, and it's bound to hold onto you."

Stellaluna looked thoughtful for a moment, as if she were truly taking her grandmother's words seriously; but then she shook her head. "I have every right to be mad, Grandma," she said vehemently. "Flap made me feel like dirt!" She spread her wings and took off back to her roost, knocking into a stalactite in her blind anger. Isis watched her go, shaking her head sadly. "I can only imagine what her next few nights will be like."

* * *

Just as Isis feared, Stellaluna's anger served as a constant, distracting burden to her. Over several nights that followed, she would bump into trees, get tangled in bushes, and even forget her appetite. Sometimes her tempers got so bad that she would hurl half-eaten fruits against tree trunks. Needless to say, these outbursts were starting to attract a lot of unwanted attention from onlooking bats, who were starting to grow very wary of her - even Bolt was careful to give her some space!

Her friends were concerned for her rapid change in behavior too. "You just haven't been yourself lately," Rafi said one evening. "It's like you're a completely different bat."

"Well, maybe that's a good thing!" said Stellaluna, rounding on him testily.

"I never said it wasn't!"

"You were _thinking_ it!" The two bats were now nose to nose, Rafi with a shocked, uneasy look on his face, and Stellaluna with a fierce glower across hers.

"Stellaluna!" Estrella's voice suddenly rang out. Stellaluna turned to see her mother looking down at her with a particularly stern glare. "This new attitude of yours has got to stop. I understand you're angry with Flap, but this is no way to express that anger! Now apologize to Rafi."

"But Mama..."

_"Apologize."_

Stellaluna heaved a deep sigh. "Alright. Sorry, Raf."

Rafi smiled understandingly. "Hey, don't sweat it," he said. "I'm just shocked that Flap had such a lasting effect on you. I mean, you never showed it until recently."

Stellaluna looked down sheepishly. "I hope what _I _said doesn't have a lasting effect on _you_."

"Don't worry, it won't," Rafi assured her. "You just weren't yourself. Maybe Flap wasn't herself either."

"I doubt it," Stellaluna replied sadly.

* * *

That morning, as the bats headed for home, they had to pass by the nest where Nestra, Pip, Flitter, and Flap lived. "Hey, look!" Pip called to his mother and sisters. "It's the bat colony!"

"Stellaluna!" cheered Flitter, who was still learning to talk.

But to the birds' surprise, Stellaluna took one look at them and burst into tears. They watched, stunned, as she broke off from the rest of the colony and dove deep into the jungle. "Weird," Flap remarked after a moment. "She's usually _thrilled_ to see us!"

Pip turned to his mother. "Mom, can we go see what's the matter?"

"Of course," Nestra replied. "Just don't go too far."

"We won't!" chorused the fledgelings, and set off after their adoptive sister.

Stellaluna hadn't gone far before she heard the birds calling her name. She looked back to see Flap leading her siblings in a beeline straight toward her. "No, no!" the little bat whimpered, and beat her wings harder against the air.

"Stellaluna!" yelled Pip. "What's the matter?"

"Come back, Stellaluna!" called Flitter.

"No!" sobbed Stellaluna. "Stay away from me!"

"Will you just tell us what's going on?!" demanded Flap.

"Just leave me alone!"

Flap rolled her eyes exasperatedly. "Must be a bat problem!"

Little did the kids realize that trouble lay just ahead. They were nearing an ancient bog: Stellaluna, blinded by her tears and anxious to get away from the birds, flew headlong into an overhanging vine. She lost control, fell, and landed with a squelching sound in the mud below. Then, to her horror, she felt herself start to sink. This was no ordinary mud: this was quicksand! "**Help!"** cried Stellaluna despairingly. **"Somebody help, _please_!"**

Luckily for her, Pip, Flitter, and Flap arrived and saw her predicament. Without a word, they fetched a long vine from a tree, and lowered it to their bat friend. Stellaluna grasped it firmly between her teeth, and with one great heave, the birds pulled her to safety. Without hesitation, Stellaluna pulled her adoptive siblings into a big hug. "Thanks, guys!" she said gratefully. "I thought I was done for!"

"Any time, Stella," grinned Pip. "That's what friends are for."

"Alright, alright; cut the mush!" snapped Flap. "You mind telling us what _that_ was all about?!"

Stung by these harsh words, Stellaluna glared furiously at Flap. **"No! I don't mind, and..." **The little bat stopped herself suddenly. She remembered her grandmother's wise words: _"Hold onto your anger, and it's bound to hold onto you." _Stellaluna took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Flap; but I've just been really angry with you lately..." And she told her whole story. "Oh, _that_?!" Flap scoffed. "That was ages ago!"

"I know; but it still hurts to think about it," Stellaluna replied. "And I never got a chance to tell you how much it hurt until now."

"She's got a point, Flap," Pip chimed in. "You _do_ have a bit of an attitude."

Flitter nodded vehemently. "It's mean!"

"And it _wasn't_ all my fault," finished Stellaluna thickly.

Flap noticed the fresh tears in her adoptive sister's eyes, and heaved a deep sigh. "Okay, okay; I guess you have a point," she admitted. "I didn't really mean what I said: I was just upset about getting lost."

"We _all_ were, Flap," said Stellaluna, wiping her eyes, "but getting mad at each other doesn't make anything better. I think that goes for _both _of us."

"I think it goes for everyone!" put in Pip.

"Yeah!" Flitter agreed.

Flap gave another sigh. "I'm really sorry, Stellaluna. I never thought my words could make you feel_ this_ crummy. I understand if you don't wanna be friends anymore."

To her surprise, Stellaluna pulled her into an even tighter hug. "It's okay, Flap," she smiled. "I forgive you, and you're still my friend."

Flap couldn't help but smile too, and hugged her adoptive sister back. "I've got an idea," she said brightly. "I'll try and be more a little more sensitive if you'll help me."

Stellaluna laughed aloud: her resentment had melted away completely. "It's a deal!"

* * *

And so, from then on, Flap tried her best to keep her attitude under control. It wasn't easy at first; but Stellaluna was always there to keep her from going too far. Both girls were happy to have worked their problems out once and for all, and even happier to know that by letting each other know how they felt without getting angry, they could build a strong, healthy friendship for life.


End file.
